Curtain-stretcher.



'N0.ss4,999. PATENTED APR.14,I908.

5.. L. BRAGDON. GURTAIN'STRETGHBR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,19 07.

, tioned which maybe moved from one place 7 detachably secured to itsaxle and a suitable su ort therefor.

wide an a {ustable stretcher for lace curtains,

' litt e s ace when not in use.

JOHN L. BRAGDON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN-STRETOHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

' Application filed June 22, 1907. Serial No. 380,237.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. BRAGDON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Stretchers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to stretchers and ilriers for fabrics such as lacecurtains or the ike.

The ob'ects of my invention are, to prowhich shal be of suchimprovedconstrue tion as to occupy a minimum amount of space when inuse; to provide a stretcher which may be readily, quickly and accuratelyadjusted to any desired size, by one person; and to provide a stretcheras mento another when in use Without danger of tearing the curtainsstretched thereon, or getting them out ofshape.

A further object is to rovide a stretcher as mentioned which sha be of aknockdown type, to, the end that the same may be acked flat forshipping, or to-occupy but Wit these objects in view, my invention isembodied in a stretcher comprising a suitably mounted drum formed of twoend members longitudinally adjustable, but rotatably fixed in relationto each other, and meansupon the drum for attaching the curtainsthereto.

, Further, my invention consists in a drum urther, my invention consistsin an adjustable drum as mentioned in combination with an adjustablesupport and means for securing the support in adjusted position.

My invention further consists in a drum formed of end members adjustabletoward or from each other andv suitable longitudinal members adjustablysecured thereto for receiving and holding the end of the curtains,

Further, my invention consists in various details of construction andarrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a curtain 1 stretcher embodying myinvention, Fig. 2 is a detail view, upon an enlarged scale, of alongitudinal member, Fig. 3 IS a detail view of one of the longitudinamembers for holding the ends of the curtains and illustrating a modifiedform thereof, and Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line, 44 of Fig. 3,the same being shown upon an enlarged scale.

My invention in its preferred form comprises an adjustable drum mountedupon'an adjustable axle and supported upon an adjustable frame. The drumcomprises a pair of end members, 1-1. .These are prefer ably circular,and each takes the form of; a

wheel having the usual spokes, 2, and hub,"3.

The end members, 11, of the drum are mounted upon a suitable axle whichprojects a short distance beyond said members at each end of the drum toform gudgeons, 4, by which the drum is rotatably supported upon theframe. The axle may be a plain rod, u on which the end members may beadjusta ly fixed, but prefer the construction shown in the drawings.

As shown, I rovide a two part shaft, and secure one of tfi form theparts of said. shaft so that they telescope one within the other. Tothis end I provide a tubular shaft portion, 5, to which the endmember, 1is secured, and a shaft portion, 6, of smaller diameter to telescoperality of pins 9 arranged about the periph cries and u on which theedgesv of the curtain are secured.

It is obvious that as the shaft, 56, is telescopic, the members, 1-1,may be adjusted toward or from each other to accommodate curtains of anywidth. To prevent relative rotation of the members with consequentmisshaping of the curtains, I provide a .pin, 10, upon the member, 6,which engages a slot, 11, in the tubular shaft portion, a.

v The supporting frame comprises a pair of uprights, 12, 12 arrangedupon feet, 13 and a cross 'or tie member, 14. The tops of the e endmembers to each, and

members, 12 are provided with recesses, 15,

' to receive the gudgeons, 4 of the drum and the-recesses, 15, are openat the to in order that the drum may be readily liftec from the frame.The tie rod, 14, is: adjustably secured to the side members or u rights,12, as

at 16. The frame may be a justed to ac is secured to the peri heries ofthe end'memof the curtain is bers, and parallel wit the shaft, and oneend fixed upon the pins, 18. The drum is then rotated a little ata timeand the edges of the curtain are secured upon the pins, 9. When thecurtain is on the stretcher throughout its length, the other bar, 17 isclamped in proper position and the end of the curtain secured! thereto.To 'prevent backward movement of the drum as the curtainyis fixedthereon, I provide a ratchet device, 20. The fact that the bars, 17,project beyond the members, 1-1

when the device is adjusted for narrow cur tains, does not :interferewith the roper operation of the stretcher, as the circumference of thedrum is greater than the length of the curtain to be stretched,therefore, the

bars, 17 do not have to pass the standards,

12, when fastening a curtain u on the stretcher. However, if desired,the are, 17, 'may be made adjustable in length, and in Fig. 3, I haveshown such a bar. As illus- "trated in said figure the bar comprises themembers, 17 and 17.

Upon the inner end of each of said members, I secure a hoop, 21, whichsurrounds both members, and in one of said hoops, I provide a thumb nut,22, which impinges against the member which slides therethrough.- Themembers, 17 and 17 are equipped with pins, 18 throughout their len th,and the member, 17 is provided with a s 0t, 18, to accommodate the pinson the member, 17, when the members overlap to an extent. o preventsagging of themembers, 1-1 due to the strain 0 the curtain stretchedthereon, withthe 'conse uent unevenness of the curtain when dried,provide a bar, 23. This is preferably fixed to the end members by thumbnuts, 24, and the component parts thereof are adjustably secured to eachother by a thumb nut, 25. This bar is similar in every respect totheadjustable bar, 17 17 except ,that it -is not provided with pins, andis attached to the inner face of the members,

11' instead of the outer face thereof, in order to avoid contact withthe curtains. Both the bars, 17 and 23 may be provided with a measuringscale as shown whereby the device may be accurately fixed to any desiredsize.

Having described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is,

1. In a device of the class described a shaft,- a rotary drum mountedupon said shaft and com rising end members longitudinally adj usta 1eand rotatably fixed in relation to each other, a plurality of pins inthe peripheries of said members, and a plurality of longitudinal barsadjustably secured to said end members, and a suitable support,substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a rotary drum mountedupon said shaft and comprising end members longitudinally adjustable androtatably fixed in relation to each other, a plurality of pins,in theperipheries of said members, a pair of longi tudinal bars ada ted to besecured to said end members, a plurality of pins on said bars,a'longitudinally adjustable bar detachably secured to said members, anda suitable support, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame in combinationwith a two part telescoping shaft mounted in said frame, and a drummounted on said shaft, said drum comprising a pair of end members havinga plurality of pins in their peripheries, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame and a two parttelescoping.

shaft, in combination with a drum, said drum comprising end membersfixed upon respective parts of said shaft and having pins in theirperipheries, and means for rigidly holding said end members a ainstrelative movement, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame and a two parttelescoping shaft, in combination with a drum, said drum comprising endmembers fixed upon respec tive parts of said shaft and having pins intheir eripheries, and a plurality 6f bars .detacha l fixed to said endmembers and adapts to prevent relative" longitudinal movement thereof,substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, a sup-- portin frame and a twopart telescoping shaft, in combination with a drum, said drum comprisingend members fixed upon respective parts of said shaft and having pins intheir peripheries, means for preventing relative rotary movement of theparts of-said shaft and the members carried thereby, and meansdeta'chably fixed to said end members forv preventing relativelongitudinal movementthereof, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, a supshaft, in combination with adrum, said drum comprising end members detachably fixed upon respectiveparts of said shaft and having pins in their peripheries, and means forri%idly holding said end members against re ative movement,substantially as 'described. l

8. In a device of the class described, a rotary drum comprisin endmembers having a plurality of pins in t eir peripheries, means foradjusting said members toward or from each other, and an adjustablesupport for said drum, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 1: name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN LJBRAGDON;

Witnesses:

F. E. SHE-EHY,

HELEN F. LILLIs.

